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Alternative Medicine and its Disadvantages

Treatments apart from the regular allopathic courses are termed as complementary or alternative therapies or medicine. These are unconventional therapies become better researched and also widely accepted. These therapies are referred to as "complementary" when taken along with allopathic medication and "alternative" when they replace the allopathic treatment. It is often abbreviated as CAM (complementary and alternative medicine).

Some of these therapies include homeopathy, naturopathy, acupuncture, herbal medication, chiropractics and midwifery. Massage therapy, Ayurveda and Unani medicines are also a part of the list.

Alternative medicines may also include healing by means of religious, spiritual or metaphysical undertakings. These may lack bio medical explanations but may only be proven by practice. Prayer for health is also a form of alternative medicine! Concentration meditation and deep breathing techniques have also proven useful as alternative medicines.

However, the scientific validation of such medicines is a huge concern. These areas lack proper research and thus cannot be completely relied on. They are also not as widespread as the allopathic treatment and are hence not so proven either. Hence, safety regarding Alternative medicines is still a concern.

Adhering to such medicines may also cause delay to conventional medication which might have been necessary for proper cure of a particular disease. Having tested the success of certain therapy for a minor ailment might tempt the patient to go for the same therapy for a greater disease for which the therapy might not suffice. The delay caused because of the same is also one of the disadvantages of alternative medicines.

The alternative therapies are mostly not tested for undesired side effects due to the fact that these therapies are not scientifically researched. Except homeopathy which has so far been proved as

At times, when these therapies are used in complement with the conventional ones, they might worsen the condition of the patient due to certain mismatches of medication which arise from their simultaneous use.

Another drawback in the field of alternate medication is that there is no institution or corporation that regulates the pills or medicines that are subscribed or given under such treatments. In allopathic treatments, there are numerous pharmaceuticals which are controlled and regulated so as to ensure that the pills and drugs produced pertain to the specified standards. There are however, no such safety precautions taken under alternative treatments. Hence, the practitioners are not answerable to anybody for any kind of a mishap.

Despite all the above drawbacks, the Alternative medicines are still used and have proven to be successful to a great extent. Newer and better techniques are joining the league of Alternative medicines day by day.

The critics attribute widespread use of Alternative medicines to two reasons. First one is the socio cultural influence that compels people. These techniques have a tendency to get famous and prevalent by word of mouth. The other is psychological reason that convinces people in favor of these treatments against the typical allopathic ones.

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